Surface protrusion formations and methods of manufacturing

Abstract

Methods and systems for mechanically forming one or more surface protrusions integrally from a garment material, the one or more surface protrusions extending outwardly from a garment surface of the garment material, include pre-heating at least one selected area of the garment material; placing the at least one selected area of the garment surface that is pre-heated against a first surface of a forming die, the first surface having a plurality of openings which have a configuration and orientation corresponding with the configuration and orientation of the one or more surface protrusions of the garment material. The garment surface may be softened by application of a source of energy, at least some of the softened garment surface positioned into at least one opening of the plurality of openings.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for assembling elastic laminates and mechanically forming one or more surface protrusions integrally from a garment material, the one or more surface protrusions extending outwardly from a first surface of the garment material, the method comprising:
 (i) wrapping the first surface of a first substrate of the garment material onto an outer circumferential surface of a forming die, the forming die having a first surface, the first surface having a plurality of openings which have a configuration and orientation corresponding with the configuration and orientation of the one or more surface protrusions of the garment material; 
 (ii) advancing an elastic film to a spreader mechanism, the elastic film comprising a first edge and a second edge separated from the first edge in a cross direction by a central region; stretching the elastic film at the spreader mechanism in the cross direction to a first elongation; advancing the elastic film from the spreader mechanism to the forming die and positioning the elastic film in contact with a second surface of the first substrate on the forming die; and consolidating the elastic film to a second elongation in the cross direction, wherein the second elongation is less than the first elongation, and wherein the elastic film remains stretched in the cross direction at the second elongation; 
 (iii) advancing a second substrate to position a first surface of the second substrate in contact with the elastic film and the second surface of the first substrate on the forming die; 
 (iv) ultrasonically bonding by a source of energy the first substrate together with the second substrate with the elastic film positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate; 
 (v) softening the first surface of the first substrate by the source of energy; 
 (vi) positioning at least some of the softened first surface into at least one opening of the plurality of openings from the first surface of the forming die; and 
 separating the forming die from the garment material to form the one or more surface protrusions integrally from the first surface of the first substrate of the garment material. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the source of energy comprises induction heating, ultrasonic vibrations, micro waves, radio waves, infrared waves, a laser beam, an electron beam, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the configuration of the plurality of openings comprise a circle, an ellipse, an oval, a triangle, a rectangle, an extended rectangle, a polygon, a bore, a slot, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the spreader mechanism comprises a ring rolling apparatus and a first disk and a second disk canted relative each other, each disk comprising an outer rim, wherein as the first and second disks rotate, the outer rims are separated from each other by a distance that increases from a minimum distance at a first location to a maximum distance at a second location. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the garment material comprises a section of nonwoven web material, the section of nonwoven web material comprising filaments of polymeric material. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising coating the one or more surface protrusions with a release agent. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more surface protrusions comprise hooks, the garment material comprises a nonwoven material, the source of energy comprises an ultrasonic horn, a linear horn, a rotary horn, or combinations thereof, and the first surface of the forming die comprises an outer circumferential surface of a roll, the roll configured for rotation at a variable angular velocity. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the source of energy comprises one or more sonotrodes, and the forming die comprises a rotary form. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the source of energy comprises one or more sonotrodes mounted in a rotary drum, and the forming die comprises one or more anvils disposed about the rotary drum. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the source of energy comprises at least two sonotrodes that are static relative to the forming die. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising treating the one or more surface protrusions with radiation for crosslinking. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 advancing the elastic film from the ring rolling apparatus to the first disk and the second disk; and 
 consolidating the elastic film to the second elongation by advancing the elastic film on the rotating first disk and second disk downstream of the second location. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the garment material comprises a diaper, the diaper comprising a loops material section, and the one or more surface protrusions comprise an array of hooks configured to fasten to the loops material section.